


Pupil/Prodigy/Proxy

by samirows



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Alternate Universe, Bickering, Demon Summoning, Gen, Manipulative Star, Permabipper AU, TIME TO RUIN BILL'S LIFE
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-14
Updated: 2014-10-14
Packaged: 2018-02-21 03:42:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,052
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2453402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/samirows/pseuds/samirows
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A summoning brings an uninvited guest along, and Bill has very little interest in catching up with his old friend. At least, not while he's still stuck in this sweaty flesh-suit.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pupil/Prodigy/Proxy

**Author's Note:**

> This is based loosely off of [this sketch](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BzzUSYuCUAAyEKi.png) by tumblr user lilgid, and a few more headcanons tossed in for good measure.
> 
> If you're not familiar with the permabipper AU, check out the tumblr tag. All will come to you in due time.

"Oh darlin’, look at you! You don't look a day over ten!"

"Twelve," the more recently-appointed demon muttered, floating close behind the shoulder that belonged to him a mere two weeks ago. 

Far more concerned with the uninvited guest, Bill shooed the star's hands away from his cheeks. "Why don't you can it, you five-pointed no-good–"

"Really Bill? Is that how you're going to treat an old friend?"

"– _rotten_ back-water country _prick_."

"Is that really how you feel about me? I'm hurt.”

"Good. Now will either one of you explain why both of you are here when it's obvious I only summoned this loser here," Bill said, pointing a dirty and fleshy thumb in the direction of the nervous-looking triangle behind him.

The two demons exchanged a few quiet glances. "Allow me," the star began, much to Bill's annoyance.

He called Pine Tree here, and that's who he wanted to talk to. By the looks of it, chances were that wasn’t going to happen. The kid's silence was no reassurance. Something was up.

"Now I'm not going to name names here, but _someone_ decided it would be a good idea to leave this poor child–" Star floated close to Dipper, placing a hand on his shoulder and puling him into a half-embrace. "–up the creek without a paddle, so to speak."

Bill folded his arms across his chest, tapping fingers against the dozens of brightly-colored bandages Mabel had begrudgingly treated him with. He didn't bother to try to worm a cutting remark in. Knowing Star, they had plenty more of those up their own sleeve. 

"You wouldn't believe it, the poor little demon floating around with absolutely no idea what he was doing. Barely knew how to make a little fire. Ain't that right, hon?" they nudged Dipper's side with an elbow; Dipper only gave what could have only been assumed to be a nod. (Bill thought it looked more like a plain old blink. Were triangles' expressions usually so hard to read?)

"So, long story short, I've taken him under my wing." Contrary to their words, Star finally lets go of the quieter demon. "He was saying how he wanted his body back, and I thought, oh, why, who better than to teach a dream demon than one of the best?" Star extends a hand as though they were examining their nails. "At least one of us knows how to do that much." 

Bill tapped a foot, literally biting his tongue to hold back the insults he was ready to sling back at Star. “Come on, Star, why don’t you help a friend out? Hey, I’ll even pay you back. Make it a deal? You pull me out of this flesh prison and we can destroy the kid. It’ll be fun. Come on, for old times’ sake. ”

Star bristled, and their usual cheery and warm demeanor suddenly turned cold. “Dipper,” the star demon said, their tone taking a turn to a darker, more serious note. “You should leave.” 

“No way, Star. Do you even know how many times I’ve tried summoning this kid? I’m not letting you ruin this.”

“The only person ruining anything is you, Billiam. Now… Dipper?”

Star glanced over to the triangle with a stare that was so intimidating that nobody could say no to it. Of course, Bill’s threat wasn’t making him feel very welcome, either. “Gladly,” he said, opening up a rift in the mindscape as though it were a zipper through fabric.  With a hasty apology in Star’s direction, Dipper slipped through the tear and was gone in an instant. So much for that plan, Bill thought.

“Alright, alright. I see what you’re getting at. Let’s cut to the chase. You’re teaching him, right? Fine. Okay. Sure. How much longer do you think this’ll take? I don’t have all summer. I’ve got–“

“Big plans for this town. Right, I know.”

“And this whole being-stuck-in-a-meatsuit thing’s got me set back a good… month, probably.”

“You want my honest opinion?”

“Shoot.”

“The way I see it, Little Dipper there has two options. One, he can work his little hat off and learn how to repossess his body. Or, option two…” 

 “ _Screw_ option two–“

 “ _Option two_ … he may take a liking to his new place in the universe.”

 “ _What?”_

“Face it, Bill. The kid’s got more conviction than you ever had. Hell of a lot more potential, too.”

Bill was seething. How _dare_ they. How _dare_ they suggest that some sweaty kid be a better dream demon than he was? How dare they suggest that Dipper was _better_ than him?   

“You may not be able to see the future, but that’s one department that I happen to _specialize_ in. I’m not going to bore you with all the juicy details, but let’s just say that this may have been the best mistake you’ve ever made. The boy’s a regular prodigy. He’s got bigger and better things to work toward than leaving _you_ in charge of the mindscape again.”

“You’re joking.”

“You keep thinking that, Cipher. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I think I’ve said too much. I really should get going.” With a framatic wave of their hand, they faded to no more than just a faint outline against the shifting grey of a still mindscape. “Oh, and…suppose I should wish you good luck.”

Once Star was gone, Bill opened his eyes to the blue shadows of his dark attic bedroom. All the candles were out and the sole polaroid photo laid in the center of the circle, grinning at him with that ugly human face. He made sure to take the time to step on it as he made his way across the room to the bed where Mabel slept. Humans needed their sleep, and over the past week Bill had come to accept and respect that. If it weren’t so urgent, he probably wouldn’t be nudging her shoulder to wake her up. “Mabel! Hey! Wake up. It’s important.”

Mabel replied with no more than an irritated groan and a weak swat at his hand as she made an attempt to stay asleep.

The corners of his mouth turned down further still. Bill tugged hard on her ear and spat. “This isn’t something that can _wait.“_

“ _Ugh_ … _what_.”

_“_ I’ve got some bad news. Get up. Now.”


End file.
